The Front Panel: Smart Packaging

by Bill Wynkoop

Beverages that promise boosts of brain power may not always make you more intelligent, but smart packages of "smart drinks" are getting consumers' attention. [more]

Research: Structurally Sound

by Stuart Leslie

Careful observational techniques can easily identify how packages have not met consumer needs and help you understand the wide range of consumer behaviors. [more]

Global Trendsetters: Ukraine

Ukraine is rapidly developing its own packaging market, with 40% of the country's $500 million packaging market opting for paperboard, often in geometrically intriguing shapes. [more]

Designer's Corner: Umbrella Branding

by Joe DiPalma

It's advisable to have a team of problem-solvers ready for complicated projects that feature licensed and unlicensed products promoting an individual and personal story. [more]

Workflow: Monitor Proofing

by Noel Jeffrey

The latest in proofing includes improved front-end software, output device enhancements, and enforced process controls that let more designers trust their monitors. [more]

Design Forum: Campaign Branding

Has Barack Obama been managed well as a brand? Our panel of experts explains how typography and design may have propelled Barack Obama 's campaign to new heights. [more]

Sustainable Packaging Update

by John Barry

When GCI built a new manufacturing facility in Bolingbrook, IL, the design of the plant included sophisticated sustainable systems and waste collection methods. [more]

Awards Program: Graphic Design USA

This year, GDUSA reviewed more than a thousand examples of contemporary package design for their review of the cream of the crop. [more]

Wow! What a Package!

by Lynn Dornblaser

Over the past few years, Coors Brewing Company has been testing out innovations of all kinds, culminating in the better-gulping Vented Wide Mouth™ can. [more]

Spotlights

Food & Beverage: Mercer's Wine Ice Cream
Hardware: Marvel Mystery Oil

Departments

Editor's Letter
Pack Expo Countdown

Designer's Corner: Retail Simulation

by Randy Ludacer

Today, large retail chains are pressed for time when considering new products and packages, so being prepared for those meetings is crucial. [more]

Retail Focus: Delivering Insights

by Jennifer McGrath

Strategic designers need to challenge themselves and their clients to set aside the detailed brief, mandatory checklists, and day planners for a "deep dive." [more]

The Front Panel: United Kingdom Designs

U.K. package design firms seem to have a more playful attitude to packaging graphics, but the trend is slow to rub off on U.S. designers. [more]

Makeover Challenge: The Fifth Annual Edition

by Ron Romanik
In the opening stage of our Makeover Challenge, we introduce the four design firms that will tackle the re-imagining of a brand's four SKUs.[more]

Meet the Participants:

Atomica Design Group • Beyondesign • Display Pack • John Waski Design

Awards: American Package Design Awards

The latest GDUSA competition spotlights some of this past year's finest packaging and in-store graphics. [more]

Workflow: Youth Licensing

by Joe DiPalma

The more familiar a design firm is with licensing practices and style guides, the more that firm can develop efficiencies in their workflow. [more]

Wow! What a Package!

by Lynn Dornblaser

Dual-chamber package designs get a new twist on the concept with a pricey lip gloss that features a center insert tube that keeps gloss and moisturizer separate. [more]

Departments

Editor's Letter
Countdown to Pack Expo
drupa Preview
News: Octal Engineers New PET and APET Supply for Packaging